Road grader



June 29, 1943.

F. E. ARNDT ROAD GRADER 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Original Filed March 12, 1940 FRANKLIN E. ARNDT,

BY My,

HTT Y June 29, 1943.

Original Filed March 12, 1940 F E. ARNDT ROAD GRADER 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 FRANKLIN E. ARNDT,

June 29, 19434 F. E. ARNDT 2,322,999

ROAD GRADER Original Filed March 12, 1940 3 SheetsSheet 3 //v|/E/YTOE v m FRANKLIN EARNDW;

Patented June 29, 1943 ROAD GRADER,

Franklin E. Arndt, Galion, Ohio, assignor to The Galion Iron Works & Manufacturing Com- 7 pany, a corporation o|: hi0

Original application March 12, 1940, Serial No.

My invention relates to a road grader, and one of its objects is the provision of improved and efiicient circle mechanism for carrying the grader blade and adjusting the inclination of the latter relative to the path of travel of the machine.

Other objects of the invention will appear hereinafter, the novel features and combinations being set forth in the appended claims.

This case is a division of my co-pending appli-. cations. N. 323,586, filed March 12, 1940. i

In the accompanying drawings,

Figs. 1 and 2, placed end to end, show a side elevation of the road grader embodying my improvements;

Fig. 3 is a bottom plan View of the circle mounted on the rear end of the T-shaped drawbar;

Fig. 4 is a sectional elevational view taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3, looking in the direction of the arrows; and l T Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken on the line 5--5 of Fig. 3, looking in the direction of the arrows. I

As shown in Fig. 2, the main supporting frame i5 is upwardly arched and is supported at its rear end on its wheels l6 and at its front end on the Wheels (Fig. 1).., .The frame l5 comprises spaced-apart longitudinal side beams, and as shown in Fig. 2 these spaced-apart side beams are connected by the tubular cross braces I9 20 and 2|.

The machine shown in the accompanying drawings includes mechanism for the steering of the front wheels, theleaning of the front Wheels, the leaning of the rear wheels, th'ev shifting of the rear end of the main frame laterally relatively to the rear wheels, the shifting of the moldboard laterally and movement thereof to-bank sloping position, and the adjustment and locking of the circle shown in Fig. 3. All of the controls extend to a single operators station or platform 22 at the rear end of the machine, as shown in Fig. 2. Although I have shownin the accompanying drawings a pulltype of road. working machine comprising a tongue 23 to the front end of which is adapted to be connected a pulling tractor, it should be understood that my improvements hereinafter described are also-useful in a power grader comprising a power plant, connected to the rear traction wheels for moving the entire machine along the roadway.

The front wheel steering mechanism com.- prises a drivingzsprocket .24cmeshing with a chain 25,-the ends of whichware connected by Divided and this application April 29, 194 1, Serial No. 390,952

14 Claims.

means of links 26 to the bolster 28 mounted on thefront axle. The bolster 28 has surmounted thereon a cap which has a central opening in its top. It will thus be seen that the bolster 28 and the front axle-tree 40, 4| form a single rigid structure for supporting on the wheels H the front end of th e vehicle frame l5.

The tubular tongue 23 has rigidly secured to the rear end thereof a vertical plate 43. A tube 44 is secured as by welding to the rear end of the plate 43, and plates 45, 46 are welded to the lower and upper edges of the plate 43 and the lower. and upper ends of the tube 44. The plates 45 and 46 are provided with openings which register with openings in thecup bearing 47 and the bracket bearing 43. The cup bearing :41 is secured to the upper horizontal flange of the angle iron 40. The bracket bearing 48 is secured rigidly to the cap an the bolster28. A bearingrod 49 may be dropped through the bracket bearing 48, the opening in the plate 46, the tube 44, and the opening in the plate 45 with the lower end of the rod.49 in the cup bearing 4?.The

rod 49 may then be pinned to the bracket bearing 48.

When the steering wheel 53 at the rear of the machine (Fig. 2) is rotated, the shaft 54 will transmit rotary motion through the universal joints 55, 55, 51 andthe links 58, 59 to the worm gearing in the casing 60 and thus rotate the sprocket 24 meshing With the chain 25 and thereby swing the tongue 23 in one direction or .the'other relatively to the front wheels. A counterbalancing spring BI is connected to the tongue 23 intermediateits ends and also to a swiveled connectioniiZ at the top of the post 55, as shown in Fig. 1. I

The drawbar 8| as shown in Figs. land 2, comprises a narrow elongated front end 82 connected by an intermediate curved portion to a rear horizontal T-shaped frame which carries the circle 83. As shown in Fig. 3, the drawbar may comprise two angle irons 84, 84 welded together with their horizontal flanges at the bottom so that 'aplate 85 may be welded along the upper edges of the angle irons and slotted at its forward end portion to slide down over and be welded to the vertical legs of the angle irons.

The front endof the drawbar is provided with a universal connection 95 to the steering post 53. The lower end of the steering post 50 isprovided with a platewhich is adapted to rest on a circular support at the upperend of the cap 42, as

,shownin Fig. 1. The drawbar 8| may turnon its swiveled connection at relatively to the steering post 50 and moreover the drawbar may swing laterally upon an upright axis. Furthermore, the drawbar 8I may swing up and down.

It should be particularly noted that the steering post 50 is rigidly connected to the forward ends of the channel beams I8 of the vehicle frame I5. The universal connection 00 at the forward end of the drawbar 0| is therefore in V reality connected to the front end of the main. frame and the parts are so closely related that no relative vibration between them is possible irrespective of the various high lift grading positions to which the grader blade has been adjusted.

The circle 83, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, carries the moldboard 01 by means of the arms 00. Mounted on the cross-piece 00 at the rear end of the drawbar are circumferentially spaced retaining plates I00, IOI as shown in the bottom plan view of Fig. 3. Abutments I02, I03 are welded to the bottom of the cross-piece 09. Slotted wedge plates I04, I05 are located between the abutment plates I02, I03 and slidable abutment plates I06 located on top of the plates M0 and IOI. Fig. 5 is a sectional View taken on the line 5--5 of Fig. 3.

The plates I00 and IOI are in fixed relation to the cross-piece 09 when the bolts I01, I01 are tightened in place. The plates I00, I0-II are adapted to overlap the flange I 08 of the circle but the latter is free to slide along these plates I00 and IM when the circle rotating mechanism is operated. The plates I06 have enlarged openings for the bolts I01, so that they may engage the inner edges of the flange I00 of the circle. This is effected by means of the wedges I04, I05 which engage the inner edges of the plates I06 when the bolts I0! are loosened. That is to say, when the bolts I00, I09 are loosened as well as the bolts I01, I01, the wedges I04, I05 may be moved tangentially of the center of the circle along the abutments I02, I03, thereby forcing the outer edges of the plate I06 against the inner edges of the flange I08. After-this has been done the bolts may be re-tightened.

The rotatable circle carries a segmental arouate rack I I0 with which meshes the pinion III as shown in Fig. 3. The pinion I II is connected to the lower end of a shaft, the upper end of which is connected by means of worm gearing through the link mechanism I I2, gearing I I3 and a flexible shaft I I4 to the gear mechanism in the casing II5 for actuation by means of a lever when the latter is set in a predetermined position. This mechanism operated by a lever may be such as that illustrated in the patent to Arndt, No. 2,012,l63, granted Aug. 27, 1935, for an improvement in road planer or drag.

Mechanism for locking the circle in adj usted'position comprises a pawl II6 which is pivotally mounted on the drawbar frame members 84, '84 for up and down pivotal movement on the axi I I1 shown in Fig. 4. An arm IIO extends from the pawl I16 into position for connection by means of a restoring spring II9 to the bracket I20.

The casting I2I is provided with journal bearings I22 for the transverse shaft II'I. Anarcuate extension I23 underlaps the flange I 08 as shownin Fig. 4. An abutment plate I06 engages the cylindrical abutment surface I 24 at the inner edge of the circle- 83 adjacent the flange I08. It will thus be seen that the abutment plates I06,

I06, I06 engage the inner edge or cylindrical abutment surface I24 of the flange I00 so as to properly hold the circl for circular adjustment in fixed relation to the T-shaped drawbar. The

bracket casting I2I as well as the abutment plate I06 are provided with registering openings for receiving the bolts I25, I25. As shown in Fig. 7 the abutment plate I06 extends circumferentially beyond the lateral edges of the bar comprising the bottom flanges 84, 84. The retaining plate I23 underlaps the bottom annular retaining flange I08. The width of the retaining plate I23 equals the width of the said bar, as shown in Fig. '7. The bolts I25, I25 each fits in registering openings in the flanges 04, 84, the abutment plate I06 and the retaining plate I23. Therefore when these bolts are tightened the plates I06 and I23 are rigidly secured to the flanges Consequently, the bolts I25, I25 may be left tightened and the wedges I04, I05 relied on to adjust the abutment plates I06, I06 while moving the flange I08 against the abutment plate I06 which is held stationary relative to the drawbar by the bolts I25, I25. In other words, the abutment plate I06 is in fixed relation to the drawbar while the other two abutment plates I06, I05 are each adjustable radially relative to the crosspiece of the drawbar. In each instance, however, bolts serve to clamp the retaining plates to the abutment plates in fixed positions relative tothe drawbar. After adjustment of the circle has been made with respect to the T-shaped drawbar, the bolts are re-tightened so as to hold the plates I06, I06, I06 in close fitting relation to the cylindrical abutment surface I24 with the retaining plates I00, WI and I23 underlapping the flange I03. Inasmuch as Fig. 3 is a bottom plan View, it can readily be seen that the circle when in adjusted position is supported from the T-supported drawbar by means of the retaining plates I00, I III and I23 which are extended under the flange I08.

The spring H0 acts on the arm HR to move the toothed pawl II 6 into mesh with the arcuate rack II 0, as shown in Figs. 3 and 4. By pulling the handle I26 at the operators station (Fig. 2), the links I21, I28 may be actuatedso as to move the bell crank I29 on its pivot I30 and thereby exert a forward pull on the link I3I which is connected to the upper end of the lever H8. In this manner the pawl H6 is pulled down and released from the arcuate rack I I0.

While the operator holds the pawl I I0 released by pulling on the handle E20 he may adjust the actuating lever into such position as to enable him to operate the links I32, I33 so as to secure transmission through the gearing H3 by actuation of the worm gearing in the casing I34 and thus effect rotation of the pinion III to in turn rotate the circle 83. In this manner the operator at his station may swing the moldboard 97 to a desired angle relative to the path of travel of the machine, while the moldboard remains under the machine as shown in Fig. 2,,in road grading position.

As shown in Figs. 3 and 4, the lower side of the latch pawl H6 is provided with a web plate which spans the spaces between the teeth of this'latch pawl in positions to engage the lower ends of the teeth of the rack bar H0 and thus act as abutments to limit the upward, movement of the pawl II6 when released and acted on by the spring II9. Since this abutment mechanism is mounted on the under side of the drawbar it serves to assure desirable meshing between the teethof the pawl H6 and the teeth IIO of the circle so that whenever desiredv by the operator, the pawl may be easilyreleased manually. from the arcuate rack I I0.

The pawl H6 is pivotally connected to the underside of the drawbar for support thereby and .has a plurality of teeth adapted to mesh with the teeth of the arcuate rack H0. The pinion II'I meshes with the same rack III] and only when the pawl I I6 is released can the pinion Ill be rotated to effect rotation of the circle 83. That is to say, the latch pawl may be operated to lock or release the circle and the teeth of this latch pawl engage the samerack that serves in the rotation of the circle.

It should also be noted. that the arcuate rack III) is inwardly facing and that the latch pawl H is pivotally mounted within the periphery of the circle 83 and that it is spring-pressed to resiliently bias it toward locking position with its teeth ,meshing with some of the teeth of the arcuate rack. The operator at his station 22 may by pulling the handle I26 unlock the pawl latch H6 by swinging it vertically downward to free the circle for turning relatively to the drawbar by rotation of the pinion I I I.

The moldboard may be adjusted in elevation and in inclination transversely of the roadway by means of structure comprising the crank arm I55 and the extensible hangers I35, one located on one side of the machine and the other located on the opposite side of the machine.

Obviously those skilled in the art may make various changes in the details and arrangement of parts without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the claims hereto appended, and I therefore wish not to be restricted to the precise construction herein disclosed.

Having thus described and shown an embodiment of my invention, what I desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A road grader drawbar comprising an integral bar inverted T-shaped in cross-section and having a rear horizontal portion and a front horizontal portion connected by a curved intermediate portion, the front portion being at a higher elevation than the rear portion, a flat plate extending along the top of said bar and slotted at its forward end to receive the vertical flange of the bar, the slotted portion of said top plate being bent down to the horizontal flanges of the, bar and welded to the sides of said vertical flange of the bar, and means for mounting a circle on the rear horizontal portion of the bar. l

2. A road grader comprising a drawbar, a circle for carrying a moldboard, an arcuate rack on said circle and concentric therewith, a latch pivotally connected to the underside of said drawbar for support thereby and having a plurality of teeth adapted to mesh with teeth of the said arcuate rack, means for swinging said latch into and out of locking engagement with said rack, a pinion meshing with said rack, and means for rotating said pinion to rotate the circle together with the moldboard thereon when said latch is released from said rack.

3. In a road grader, the combination with a drawbar comprising a longitudinal bar and branching supports, of a moldboard carrier mounted on said longitudinal bar and said branching supports for arcuate adjustment relative thereto, an arcuate rack on said carrier, mechanism mounted on said longitudinal bar and comprising a pinion meshing with said rack to effect adjustment of the moldboard carrier relative to said drawbar, a toothed latch pawl pivotally mounted on the under side of said longitudinal bar adjacent said pinion in position to mesh with said rack when swung upwardly, and means for operating said latch. pawl to apply or release the same, said pawl when applied to said rack locking said carrier against rotation relatively to said drawbar and thereby preventing rotation of said pinion.

4. In a road grader, the combination with a drawbar, of a circle having an arcuate retaining surface on its under side, mechanism comprising a retaining plate secured to said drawbar for supporting said circle for arcuate adjustment relative to said drawbar, an arcuate rack on said circle, a latch pawl pivoted to said retaining plate in position to be moved upwardly against the action of gravity into engagement with the said arcuate rack to lock the circle against arcuate movement, spring actuated mechanism for holding said latch pawl in its locking position, and manual mechanism for releasing said latch pawl against the action of said spring actuated mechanism.

5. A road grader comprising a T-shaped drawbar including a longitudinal bar with a crosspiece at its rear end, a circle for supporting a moldboard, an annular flange on said circle with an annular retaining face on its under side in the plane of the circle and a cylindrical abutment face concentric with said circle, three circumferentially spaced retaining plates one connected to said bar and the other two connected to said cross-piece, three abutment plates one connected to said bar and the other two to said cross-piece, said abutment plates being in position to engage said cylindrical abutment face and the abutment plate connected to the bar being in fixed relation thereto while the other two abutment plates are adjustable relative to the cross-piece, and means for clamping the retaining plates to the abutment plates to hold the latter and said retaining plates in fixed positions relative to the bar and crosspiece.

6. A road grader comprising the combination with a drawbar, of a circle mounted thereon and adapted to carry a moldboard, an arcuate rack on said circle, a latch pawl, means pivotally supporting said latch pawl on the underside of said drawbar in position to swing upwardly into engagement with teeth of said rack bar to lock the circle against turning relatively to said drawbar, resilient means for biasing. said latch pawl into locking position, and mechanism for unlocking said latch pawl by swinging the same downwardly to free said circle for turning relatively to said drawbar.

'7. A road grader drawbar comprising a rear horizontal portion and a forward horizontal portion connected by an intermediate curved portion, the forward and intermediate portions having a vertical flange to form an inverted T-shape in cross-section, circle carrying and guiding mechanism on the rear horizontal portion, and a flat plate extending along the top of the said vertical flange and slotted at its forward end to receive such vertical flange, such flat plate at its forward slotted portion being secured to said inverted T-shaped portion.

8. A road grader drawback comprising a bar inverted T-shaped in cross section and having a rear horizontal portion and a front horizontal portion connected by a curved intermediate portion, the front portion being at a higher elevation than the rear portion and having its vertical flange cut away on a slant toward the forward end of the bar, a flat plate extending along the top of the bar and slotted at its forward end to receive the vertical flange of the bar, the slotted portion of the top plate being bent down to the horizontal flanges of the bar and secured to the latter to provide slanting of the slotted portion in conformance with the slant of said cutaway portion of the vertical flange of the bar, and means for mounting a circle on the rear horizontal portion of the bar.

9. In a road grader, the combination with a drawbar having a cross-piece at its rear end, of a circle for supporting a moldboard, an annular flange on said circle with an annular retaining face on its under side and a cylindrical abutment face concentric with said circle, a plurality of circumferentially spaced detachable retaining plates each in position to underlap said annular flange and engage the retaining face thereof, abutment plates between said cross-piece and said retaining plates, and bolts fitting in circular holes in said retaining plates and extending through slots in said abutment plates, said bolts when tightened holding said abutment plates in adjusted positions relative to said cylindrical abutment face and securing all of said plates to said cross-piece.

10. In a road grader, the combination with a drawbar, of a circle connected to said drawbar for supporting a moldboard, an annular flange on said circle with an annular retaining face on its under side and a cylindrical abutment face concentric with said circle, a plurality of circumferentially spaced retaining plates each in po sition to underlap said, annular flange and engage the retaining face thereof, abutment plates between said drawbar and said retaining plates, abutment blocks secured to said drawbar and spaced from said abutment plates, wedges slidable along said abutment blocks and slidable along said abutment plates for moving the latter against said cylindrical abutment face, means for securing said wedges in adjusted positions, and bolts fitting in holes in said retaining plates and extending through said drawbar and through slots in said abutment plates.

11. A road grader comprising the combination with a drawbar, of a moldboard carrier mounted thereon for arcuate adjustment relative thereto, an arcuate rack on said carrier concentric with said arcuate adjustment, mechanism mounted on said drawbar and comprising a pinion meshing with said rack to effect such arcuate adjustment of the moldboard carrier relative to said drawbar, a tooth latch pawl pivotally mounted on the under side of said drawbar in position to swing upwardly into mesh with said arcuate rack, and means for operating said latch pawl to apply or release the same, said pawl when applied to said arcuate rack locking the carrier against rotation relatively to said drawbar and thereby preventing rotation of said pinion.

12. ,A road grader comprising the combination with a T-shaped drawbar including a longitudinal bar connected to laterally branching supports, of a circle for carrying a moldboard, an inner circular flange on said circle and having an annular retaining surface on its under side in the plane of the circle and a circular abutment surface facing inwardly, circumferentially spaced retaining plates in position to extend under said flange to engage said annular retaining surface, movable abutment plates between said retaining plates and the drawbar, abutments fixed to said laterally branching supports, manually operable wedges between said fixed abutients and said movable abutment plates for moving the latter against said circular abutment surface, vertical bolts for securing said wedges in adjusted positions, and vertical bolts for securing said retaining plates and abutment plates rigidly to the drawbar.

13. A road grader comprising a drawbar, a circle mounted thereon for arcuate adjustment relative thereto and adapted to carry a moldboard, an inwardly facing arcuate rack on said circle, means connected to said rack to rotate the circle, a latch pawl having a plurality of teeth with the spaces between the same closed on the bottom to form webs adapted to engage teeth of said rack to limit upward movement of the pawl, means for pivotally supporting said latch pawl on said drawbar within the periphery of said circle for vertical swinging movement of its teeth into and out of engagement with said rack, and means for operating said latch pawl, said latch pawl being adapted to engage the same rack that serves in the rotation of said circle.

14. A road grader comprising the combination with a drawbar, of a circle mounted thereon for arcuate adjustment relative thereto and adapted to carry a moldboard, an arcuate rack on said circle, means connected to said rack to rotate the circle, a toothed latch pawl pivotally mounted on said drawbar to swing downwardly, relatively thereto, abutment mechanism for limiting the upward swing of said pawl when in position to mesh with said rack, and means for operating said toothed latch pawl, said latch pawl being adapted to engage the same rack that serves in the rotation of the circle.

FRANKLIN E. ARNDT. 

